Engine starter control



July 11, Q D TURNER ENGINE STARTER CONTROL Filed NOV. 30, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet l 5 I gi* 24 BYC/YEL D. TURN f? DE? j* ATTORNEYS PatentedJuly 11, 1933 CARL D. TURNER, F INDIANAPOLIS, NZIANA, .ASSGNOR- TO THE,H. T. H. CORPO- EATION, '0F CINCINNATI, GI-IIO, A CORPORATION' Ol? OHIO,Y

Application filed November 30, 1931. Serial No. 577,9?4.`

Thefundamental object of this invention is to produce means by which thestarting of internal combustion engines is effected through the propercorrelation Vand synchronization of the three essential functionsrequired to produce most Veiiicient, positive and beneficial results insuch an operation. These three functions are proper mixture control,`

' proper fuel vaporization, and proper starting motor control. Y l i Y Afurther and more specific object is to produce a means'by which thechoke valve of the Vcarburetor is controlled automatically to functionat'the proper time, by means of which an electric heating device isoperate-d in association with the chokeicontrol to deliver heat to thefuel mixture passing to the engine, and by means of which the startingmotor circuit is controlled automaticalgo ly in conjunction with the twoJfunctions just mentioned. A e i A further specific object of myinvention is to provide heat to vaporize the fuel mixture in themanifold during the cranking operation, without taking additional energyfrom thev battery while the starting motor is in operation, and, toresume the application of heat tothe fuel mixture for a predeterminedperiod after the engine has started 3o and the starting motor has ceasedoperation.

An additional and importantobject of my invention is to produce a deviceby means of which the duration of the clicking operation and thefuel-air. mixture ratio is controlled according to the characteristicsof the engine with which the device is associated and the conditions ofatmosphere at the time the device is operated, both as to the humidityof the atmosphere and temperature of both en- V gine and atmosphere.

These and other objects are attained in the control device described in'the following Vspecification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing circuits and details embodied inthe construction and control of my device. y Y Y Fig. 2 is across-sectional view of my control device in mounted relation toassociated parts of the engine and carburetor.

' magnet 6.

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of'a valvereleasing plunger forming a detailof my invention. y

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 2, butshowing the parts in different positions. 1

Referring to the diagrammatic view shown in Fig. 1,theconventional'battery 1 of the usualV automobile equipment, furnishesthe energy required in the operation of my device. Of course, the usualignition switch 2 connectsthis battery to the ignition circuit 3.' Forengine starting purposes l have shown a starter switch @which vmay bemanually operated` if desired and 'which is connected in a circuit 5adapted to energize a solenoid VReferring now specifically to Fig. 2,solenoid 6 is wound upon'a spooli7 which is enclosed within casingS ofmagnetic. material and loca-ted .between a magnetic plate 9 and i amagnetic cap 10. Within spool 7 is mounted a magnetic sliding core 11which has a non-conducting platel 12 at its lower end, upon which platea Contact plate 15 is mounted by means of screws 13 and spacers 14. Anon-conducting plate 17 is. mounted to reciprocate on a sleeve 20, beingsupported by a spring 19 which surrounds the sleeve and which is held inplace by a nut 21-on the lower end of sleeve 20. Y

A non-conducting cap 22 is attached to case 8 by means of an interveningnon-conducting sleeve 23, thereby affording a normal lrest for the nut21, as shown Fig. 2. At its LipperV end, a flange 25 is carried bysleeve 20, and on the sleeve, above'the flange, a nonconducting disc 28vis mounted, preferably by means of screw threads as shown.' rlhis disc28 is perforated atthe proper intervals, as 9o at 29, for guidance bythe spacers 111 to permit of slight reciprocatory movement of sleeve 2%and consequent relative movement between v non-conducting plates ordiscs 12 and 28 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and` which movement 95 islimited by plate 15.

On the underside of disc 17 is an annular bus plate 18 which is attachedthereto by pins forming contacts `16 adapted, on the upper surface ofdisc117, to engage and disengage 109 plate 15 as shown in Figs. 2 and'4.The plate 18 is connected with a heating element 31 located in theintake manifold of the engine by a circuit 30, through a terminal 3()aand a flexible connection 18a. Sleeve 2O and its ilange 25 and nut 21are connected, by connection 24, with the battery 1, through terminal24"L and flexible connection 24D, both terminals 30 and 24 being locatedin the nonconducing cap 22 as shown..

@ne end of the solenoid winding connects with circuit 5 throughnon-conducting sleeve 23 by means of a terminal 5a, the opposite end ofthe solenoid winding connecting with magnetic cap 10 at 10a and thenceto ground through a connection 51 as shown.

Core 11, to'which reference has been made,

is madeV cup shaped and has a cylindrical bore within which a piston38is located.. This piston is anchored against movement by means of itsstem 39 being held in place by nuts 40 and 52. Within the piston arechambers containing check valves 41 which seat I by gravity to closepassages. extending through the bottom of the piston and in which valvelifters 50 are located. These valve liftersV are iiuted, asshown in'Fig. 3, and have their lower ends extending through and beyond thebottom of the piston for engagement with the inner bottom -of the coreat certain times, whereupon the lifters operate to pushA valves 41 fromtheir seats. Apertured plugs in the upper ends of the valve chambersprevent displacement of the valvesand permit passage of iiuid within thecore 11 from beneath the piston Vto above the piston, the flutes in thelifters affording passage of fluid in the operation. A stuffing box 11ain the upper end of core 11 permits of reciprocal movement ot the core.Within thepiston and located between it and the inner bottom of 4core 11is a spring 46 which bears downwardly upon the core and-holds it and itsassociated elements in the position shown in Fig. 2. Within the stem 39of the piston is a chamber containing ports 43 and 44, the formercommunicating with the core interior above the piston and the lattercomrminicating with the core interior beneath the piston by way of thecentral passage in which spring 46 is located. lVithin the piston stemis lo cated `either Va jet of standard opening or a needle valve 45,which,v at its upper end is screw threaded for adjustment and at itslower end is pointed for variation of opening or @losing port 44 togovern the rapidity of movement. At the lower end of core 11 a ballsocket 47 is located to retain, by means of a nut 48,*a connecting link49 which extends through sleeve 20 and cap 22 to connection with the armof a carburetor vchoke valve, as shown.

A feature of the construction I have set forth is that nonconductingsleeve 23 carries a contact 33 and that the nonconducting discs 12 and28 are small enough to move within and to pass contact 33, while contactplate 15 is larger in diameter and engages contact 33 when the core 11rises. Also, it will be seen that disc 17 is still larger than plate 15and engages shoulder 32 when core 1,1 rises.

T o initiate operation of the device the starting button 4 is depressedafter ignition switch 2 has been closed. Ahis closes circuit 5 andenergizes solenoid windingV 6.y Core 11 is thereby lifted, causing plate12 and contact plate 15 to be lift-ed. This lifting of plate 15 bringsit into contact with ring 26 of flange 25 of sleeve 29, vthereby liftingthese elements by engagement with surface 27 of plate 15. Because ofspring 19, contact is maintained between plate 15 and contact 16 duringthis lifting movement. Therefore circuit 30 is closed vtofenergizeheater 31, thereby placing the engine intake atmosphere in condition toreceive a charge of fuelfor vapor-ization and preheating previous todelivery t0 the engine. l Y

Further upward movement of the core 11 will Ybring' insulator plate 17into engagementavithv shoulder 32 insleeve 23,k thereby holding thisplate against movement as the core continues upwardly towardthecompletion of the stroke. This results in separation between contact 16and plate 15, thereby breaking circuit 30 and disconnecting heater 31from its source of heating energy.

This second operation having taken place, the completion of the coremovement brings platev 15 to engage contacts 33, therebyclosing circuit34', which results in energizationof solenoid 35. This causes relayswitch 36 to be closed, and innthis manner start the starting motorthrough theclosing of the circuit 37, whereby the engine is cranked.

lt will be observed that during the time that circuits 34 and 37 areclosed, circuit 30 is left open. However, after the engine has startedand button 4 has beenv released, the contact between plate 15 andcontacts 33 is broken by downward movement ofA core 11 after theenergizing circuit is broken by release of button 4. This deenergizesthe starter relay,` resulting in opening the starter switch and stoppingthe starting motor. Following this, the contact between plate 15 andcontacts 16 is reestablished and the heating circuit again closed,whereby heater 31' is again energized following its first heating. Thiscontinues during further descent of core 11, until nut 21 engages cap22, whereuponv lll) cated within the core, piston and stem, may be madefrom the lower chamber of core 1l, beneath tl e piston, to the lupperchamber of the core, above the piston, at the time the core is drawnupwardly by .its solenoid energiza` tion. Assurance of complete valveopening is had through the plungers. 50, which prevent any one or moreof the valves sticking on their seats by contacting the bottom of thecore and thereby forcing such sticking valve cr valves yto be lifted,but the principal function of these lifters is to cause complete openingof all the valves so that the core will drop quickly until the plungersare disengaged the core, thereby causing a quick breaking of circuit Selat contacts 38 with plate 15 and as quickly the reestablishnient of theheater circuit 8() before its heater v31 has cooled, and simultaneouslythe return of the choke valve from a completely choked to such a richrunning position as may be established experimentally. i

The balance of the downward stroke of` assure of this downward movementof the core 11. Y

As an added feature of my invention I draw attention to the character ofthe iiuid l2 in core 11. This is of such a nature `that during warmweather or when the motor is warm, the viscosity of the fluid permitsthe core to drop at a higher rate of speed than when the weather ormotor is cool. manner the fluid itself performs the function ofgoverning the speed of movement'of the core for the purposes andconditions under which the device is designed to function. `It isinteresting tonote that I have provided a second function for connector51 toperform,

which is, to conduct heat directlyA from the `exhaust manifold, intakemanifold or the water jacket to the piston 38 and its stem 39 so thatthe iuid 4t2 may be warmed quickly and kept warm, thereby assuring ofefficient functioning of the device. Any suitable mounting, such asplate 53 may be provided for supporting the device in proper location.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. fin electro mechanical hydraulic control device for internalcombustion engines, roinprising a movable switch operating ele ment` anelectrical means for moving the switch operating element, a circuitincluding` a fuel heater, a circuit including an engine starter, aswitch in the heater circuit, and a switch in the starter circuit, saidswitch operating element functioning the switch oper- In this ation'inthe' sequence .of closing the heater circuit, opening the heatercircuit, closing .the startercircuit, opening the starter circuit,closing the heater circuit and opening thev heater circuit.V

In combination with an electro mechanical hydraulic control device forinternal combustion engines, a fuel heater crcuit,an engine startercircuit, a switch 'in' the heater circuit, a switch in the startercircuit, coniprisiiig a movable switch operating element, an electricmeans for moving the switch op-v erating' element in one direction insequenceV to close the heater circuit, open the `heater bustion engine,a carburetor, an engine starter circuit, a Yfuel heater circuit, astarter` circuit switch, a heater circuit switch, a movable controlelement, an .electric means for mov-- ing the switch and carburetorcontrol ele-v ment in sequence to close the heater circuit, control thecarburetor, open Vthe heater cir.- cuit, and close the starter circuitand mechanical means to restore the control device to normal condition,whereby, in sequence, the starter circuit is opened, the heater circuitis closed, the carburetor restored to normal conditions, and the heatercircuit is opened.

l. In combination with an electro mechanical hydraulic control devicefor internal combustion engines and their carbure esl tors,a fuel heatercircuit, an engine starter circuit, a switch in the heater circuit, aswitch in the starter circuit, said device comprising a movable switchand carburetor operating elciii-ent, an electric means for moving theelenient in one direction in sequence to close the heater circuit, causethe carburetor to. deliver a'starting fuel mixture, open the heatercircuit, and close the starter circuit, and a mechanical means formoving the switch operating element in the opposite direction insequence to open the starter circuit, close the heater circuit,gradually return the carburetor to normal fuel mixture condition, andopen the heater circuit;

5. An electromechanical hydraulic control device for internal combustionengines comprising a switch operating element consist# ing of a cylinderand a piston in the cylinder, an electric device for moving the cylinderand piston relatively to eachother in one direction, a fuel heatercircuit, a fuel heater circuit, a fuel heater in the circuit, a circuitincluding an engine starter, a switch in each ofthe circuits, saidswitches having connection with the relatively movable members of theswitch operating element, whereby when the yelectric is functioned,switch operation Will be performed in sequence to close the heatercircuit, to open the heater circuit, and close the Starter circuit, anda mechanical device for moving the cylinder and piston relatively toeach other in the opposite direction, whereby switch operation will beperformed in sequence to open the starter circuit, close the heatercircuit, and open the heater circuit. Y

6. In combination, an internal combustion engine, an engine carburetor,an engine starter circuit, a fuel heater circuit, a switch in thestarter circuit,`a switch in the heater circuit, a switch and carburetorcontrol element consisting of a cylinder and a piston in the cylinder,and an` electric device controlling move-mentl of the cylinder andpiston relatively to each other in one direction in sequence to closethe heater circuit, to cause the carburetor to deliver a starting fuelmixture to open the heater circuit, to close the A starter circuit, anda mechanical devicey confixed mysignatur-e. I

' Y CARL D. TURNER.

